


You Are My Sunshine

by pherryt



Category: Elfquest, Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Dimensional Travel, Demon possession, F/M, M/M, Sun Folk, Wolfriders, bridge of destiny, implied love confession, mother of memory, sorrow's end
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-12
Updated: 2017-05-12
Packaged: 2018-10-31 02:06:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 11,852
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10889430
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pherryt/pseuds/pherryt
Summary: One minute Sam and Dean were in the bunker - the next, in a desert. That was surprise enough, but elves with wolf companions? They weren't in Kansas anymore, were they?It's not the first time the Winchesters have somehow hopped dimensions or alternate timelines or traveled through time - but Cas had always been involved, was always there if the boys called. This time, he's not answering and now they've got angry, armed elves staring them down.How would this end? how had this happened? Would Cas ever find them? And if not, were they ever getting home?





	1. Not in Kansas Anymore

**Author's Note:**

> This is my kids fault. She posited a "What if..." and here you go.
> 
> first time writing ElfQuest - I hope it came out all right! Try and guess which one is my favorite? 
> 
> it was also supposed to be a quick fic. and when I realized it wasn't as quick as I had hoped it would be, i still thought it would be less than 10k words. Guess I was wrong.
> 
> also, notes:
> 
> SUPERNATURAL - no real spoilers. Yes, time wise, this takes place after they've gotten into the bunker and mentions something Dean says in season 12 but it is REALLY no spoiler for any of that. (But i did give Cas back his wings cause dammit, he should have him)
> 
> ElfQuest - setting takes place between the first two graphic novels - between settling down in Sorrow's End and Cutter's great quest.

Leetah, the Healer of the Sun Folk’s village of Sorrow’s End and mate of the Chief of the Wolfriders, was normally the kindest, most gentle soul.

That was not to say she didn’t have a spine of bright metal and a cutting wit when she wanted. But it did mean that when she pushed her own child away, cowed a wolf – one of the great beasts she was still so wary of – simply by walking past it and reduced her own sister to tears with spiteful words, the Sun Folk and Wolfriders alike noticed.

But what could they do? Savah, their beloved Mother of Memory, had fallen ill for the first time since anyone could remember, even the eldest of her distant descendants, and she refused all attempts to call for Leetah’s help.

Something was wrong with the dark skinned, red haired beauty that had so captivated the pale skinned chieftain from the very first. They had soul bonded in that moment – and Leetah’s soul didn’t feel right any more.

Wary of his own mate, afraid to leave their young children in her presence, Cutter sought out the advice of the Elders of his small tribe. He turned to Strongbow and Moonshade, to Treestump, One-Eye and Clearbrook and laid it all out plainly for them to see.

“Have you ever heard of a Recognition going bad?” Cutter asked at the last, his cubs long fallen asleep in the thick arms of Treestump and the rocking arms of Moonshade.

*Recognition is Recognition. ‘Soul meets soul, when eyes meet eyes’. It’s simple enough that even the youngest cub understands it.* Strongbow, silent as ever, SENT the thought out to those gathered, leaving only the sleeping children alone.

“Than what’s _wrong_ with Leetah?” Cutter asked in clear despair.

“Have you tried talking with her?” Clearbrook suggested.

“Of course, I have. Haven’t any of you? It’s not just me she’s treating this way. I’d almost say she was acting... _human_ …”

The gathered Elves flinched and hissed, blanching at the comparison to their age old enemy. They’d lost many to humans over the years till finally the humans had gone crazy and burned down the forest, their home. Only the swift thinking of Cutter had saved as many as had been saved in those dreadful moments.

And their torture hadn’t ended there. It had been days of wandering the desert before they found Sorrows End, been accepted for who they were for the first time in their lives. They’d carved a life for themselves here, though it sometimes warred with The Way. And yet, sometimes it felt like the Sun Folk were still a mystery.

One-Eye suggested as much, but Cutter shook his head. No, the rest of the Sun Folk may ever remain unfathomable to him, but he and Leetah had exchanged Soul Names, though the Sun Folk wore theirs proud and in the open.

And he _knew_ something was wrong.

When Scouter shouted from the look out, the echo being taken up by the wolves, Cutter feared the worst.

And when the words: *Human* *They’ve found us* *Is nowhere safe?* echoed around his tribe, he was sure the worst had, indeed, found them.

*

“Cas? Where the fuck are ya, man?” Dean grumbled. He draped his flannel over his head, tying the sleeves under his chin. It left his arms exposed to the harsh light of the sun, but he needed to do something. He was dying out here.

He said as much to his brother.

“I get it Dean. You’re not the only one suffering right now. Now shut up,” Sam would have rolled his eyes and leveled a bitchface at Dean, but he wanted to conserve all his energy.

“We’re stuck in a fucking desert, Sam,” Dean growled, still trudging forward. “And we still have no idea _how_ we got here.”

“And complaining about that will get us _nowhere_ ,” Sam countered. His long stride faltered and he raised a hand to shade his eyes. “Hey, you think that’s a mirage or…?”

Dean paused and squinted in the same direction. He thought he could see an uneven smudge along the horizon, darker than the blinding sand around them. “Dunno, but as we have no other points of reference, I say we go for it.”

With a quick nod, the two of them resumed walking, changing their angle only slightly to make for the unknown horizon. To their great relief, however they’d gotten here, it had not been at midday, or worse, before midday. It was evening and nighttime was falling, leaving the time exposed in the sun as limited. With an uneasy and dubious look, the brothers decided to press forward through the cooling night. They’d make more time and hopefully find something at the other end. Preferably civilization.

It proved to be rocks – arranged to look like the silhouette of a mountain range but too small to qualify, though if they pressed onwards, it looked like they’d easily find such. Still, they decided to take shelter in the rocks, for at least part of the day, as there should be some shadow to protect them from the full blast of this unbearable heat.

Dean wasn’t looking forward to finding out how hot midday would actually get. He hoped they’d at least found water before then. As they approached the rocks, Sam paused again with a horrified gasp, “Dean!”

Dean looked up at his brothers’ exclamation, Sam’s hand having reached out to grab him and pull him to a halt. Arranged before them was the strangest sight and the Hunters had seen a lot of strange in their 30 plus years. Children with bows and blades were arranged upon the rocks, staggered for attack and accompanied by great, hulking wolves that snarled and growled warning.

Well, they’d found civilization.

Maybe.

Dean and Sam slowly raised their hands as one of the children stalked forward, a great grey wolf at his side. Pale skinned and blond hair, half naked, the boy – no, he was no boy, was he? He wasn’t even human, Dean realized as he got closer – hadn’t even drawn his blade, though his hand rested on the hilt. He had absolute trust in the children – other warriors behind him.

He was their leader.

“Fuck, Dean,” Sam hissed from behind him, “Look at his ears! He’s an elf – they’re _all e_ lves! Did we get abducted by the fairy? I’m in the fairy realm? Does this mean I’ll have the sight now too?”

Dean looked at his brother out of the corner of his eye, unwilling to take his eyes off the leader – the elf, just as Sam had said – for any length of time. “Is that what you’re thinking of, at a time like this?”

“Can you blame me? How many people get to see the fae folk?” Sam was having a hard time holding back the excitement.

“How many of them return to tell the tale?” Dean shot back.

“You did.”

“Doesn’t count,” Dean dismissed it, focusing on the blond elf who’d frozen before the brothers in disbelief.

“Humans. I would tell you that you are not welcome here. But you do not look like the children of Gotara and you speak not his language. Who are you?”

“Who’s Gotara?” Dean asked in return, sliding his eyes over at Sam again.

Sam shrugged, “Don’t ask me. That name isn’t in any of the Lore _I’ve_ ever read. I’m not sure we’re even on Earth any more. Which means any Lore we’re familiar with is now suspect.”

“Answer me!” the elf, who was about two feet shorter than Dean demanded harshly.

“Look, we’re just lost, not looking for any trouble. I’m Sam, this is my brother, Dean,” Sam, ever the peacemaker, spoke up first. “We don’t know who Gotara is, or who you folk are, but wouldn’t mind some water and shelter before the sun comes up. Then we’ll try to be on our way if maybe you have an idea where we should be headed?”

Silence reigned. The leader didn’t look away from them, his piercing gaze somewhat unsettling. But Dean recognized a hunter in the elf before him, someone who would do anything to protect those he loved and he stared right back.

It was unnerving how quiet it was. The Elves didn’t make a sound, but their faces reacted and moved like there was a conversation going on around the brothers.

“Freakin’ telepaths,” Dean grumped, wondering if it was safe to lower their hands yet. It wasn’t that Dean or Sam weren’t carrying weapons, but that they didn’t like the odds should it come down to it. The Elves and their wolves looked lethal, despite the primitive weapons. And really, who were they to judge the ‘primitive’ weapons, when it was sometimes (most times) necessary to use something simple like a stake to take out some of the ancient monsters or gods they’d encountered over the years.

Resulting in a healthy respect for what others would consider outdated weapons.

Finally, the leader spoke again. “We have decided you are not welcome here. You will leave. Be glad that you leave with your lives.”

“What? No way, it’s a death sentence out there!” Dean shouted, gesturing wildly back the way they had come.

The blonde elf’s eyes narrowed. “Why should we care if it’s a death sentence? When has a human ever done anything but bring death to my tribe?”

“Uh, we can’t answer that, because we’ve never seen one of your…tribe before,” Sam countered. “Look, we really don’t mean any harm. What can we do to convince you?”

There was a surge from the rocks behind the elf and Dean and Sam’s attention were snagged, each automatically reaching for a weapon. What they saw confounded them. Much different than the warriors arrayed before them, was a dark-skinned elf about the same height, wearing an entirely different style of clothing. Instead of leathers, it was cloth, and it was brightly colored. She wore jewelry that tinkled with every move, unlike the silent warriors facing them.

“Leetah, go back…” the leader turned around and called out – the first time he’d ever addressed another of the Elves aloud. With her different looks, the brothers wondered if she was not the same as the others before them.

“No, my mate, I think not. So these are humans?” she approached slowly and Dean felt a chill run down his spine.

“Dean, there’s something wrong. Look at him,” Sam leaned forward to whisper. Dean looked and saw the rigid, wary line of the elf that had warned them off. He’d been wholly unafraid while facing two giants, two humans that apparently represented much that had done him and his people harm, but now…

Now they watched the wolves back away from this Leetah, saw the other warriors – men and women alike – shifting away and eyeing her suspiciously.

This would not end well, would it?

She slowly approached, staring at Sam and Dean the whole time, a sly, familiar smile hovering over her lips. Her eyes flickered black and they knew…

She was possessed by a demon. How the demon had come here, they had no idea. Either it had hitched a ride with whatever sent the Winchesters here, or they had been sucked into its orbit and it had meant to come here. In the end, it didn’t matter, because here it was.

The demon’s eyes had turned back to normal before it reached the elf that stood before the Winchesters. Chillingly, it called out, running a hand down the blond elf’s naked arm, “Kill them.”

The elf beside her didn’t move, staring at her only in open mouthed horror. “Leetah, what has happened to you? This is not like you, my mate. You are a gentle soul…”

Dean and Sam exchanged looks. The elves had no idea what they were dealing with. Had no idea that their beloved friend was anything more than what she seemed. They might only think she’d gone crazy, and wouldn’t fully understand the harm she could bring.

At Dean’s nod, Sam spoke a single word, simply to reveal what she was, “Christo.”

She whipped her head around to stare at them with black eyes, and she growled out, “Cutter, I said kill them now. You have told me of these humans and I would not see our peaceful village in turmoil and ruins because you were too weak to do what needs to be done.”

But the damage had been done. No matter her words, chosen carefully for what they might mean to the elf she spoke to, he was now slowly backing away from her as if from a predator, his eyes locked on the demon black ones that twisted his mates face into something unrecognizable.

Wasting no more time, Dean started the exorcism, and the Demon screamed at him, raising a hand and flinging him into the boulders. Sam picked up the thread next and she raised another hand and flicked him in the opposite direction.

A couple of small hands helped Dean up from where he had fallen and he pushed them behind him protectively as he continued speaking the words, ignoring the pain in his ribs and the ache at the back of his skull. The Demon flung him again and his head cracked once again against the rock before sliding down.

Already feeling the effects of the first head injury, the second time Deans head slammed into the rock showed the damage as worse than he thought, the scene before him doubling– tripling -  dizzying him. But he saw clearly enough to notice that Sam went down just after him, all but the last words of the exorcism said.

He struggled to get up, gasping – a small hand held him back, stronger than he would have imagined. Or maybe he was just that badly hurt. He choked and whispered at the elf holding him. “Audi Nos – if you want…to save your friend…you have to…” he coughed, blood burbling up out of the corner of his mouth. Shit, that wasn’t a good sign. “have to say these words – Audi Nos. Loudly – if it doesn’t hear…” Dean broke off coughing again, more hand reaching to try and lay him back. “No…the words,” the words came out so garbled he was unsure they understood him.

One of them had, though. One of them stood up and yelled, “Audi Nos!” in surprisingly deep tones for such a small frame.

Black smoke poured out of Leetah’s body and she collapsed. Sam and Cutter both darted out to catch the dark-skinned elf – Leetah – as she fell. Sam’s longer strides just barely beat out the swift moving elf and he caught her, gently lowering her to the ground and checking her pulse. Sam sighed in relief, looking straight into the eyes of Cutter, “She’s alive. She’ll be okay now.”

“What about that?” Cutter jutted his chin towards the black smoke swirling in the air, behaving like no smoke he’d ever seen before as it hovered and twisted in place.

Why hadn’t the exorcism worked? It should have been evicted _and_ gone to hell! “I…that shouldn’t…it should be gone!” Sam looked at the elf in alarm, before hurrying over to stand beneath it, quickly tracing out a Devils Trap in the sand under the Demon smoke, hoping it would hold long enough for them to figure out something more permanent.

Finally breathing a sigh of relief, Sam realized that Dean wasn’t at his side.  Wasn’t feeding him snarky remarks or complaining about getting knocked around by something half his size or trying to figure out why the Demon was still there. Sam whirled to find Dean, barely conscious, laid against the stone, a smear of blood proof of where Dean had slid down to where he was now propped, his eyes were barely open and Sam ran over in a panic.

“Dean? Dean! Are you all right?” he reached for his brother to look for injuries other than the obvious head wound.

Dean smiled weirdly at him, “Hey, little brother,” Dean’s voice wasn’t very strong, but everything and everyone around them was silent, making him easily heard, “I don’t think we’re in Kansas anymore.”

“Well, yeah, we already knew that. Not sure how that’s relevant right now though,” Sam huffed, trying to act like normal as he checked Dean over.

“The moons, Sam…” Dean gasped out, “There’s two of ‘em.”

“What? Dean, I think you’re delusional…look, I don’t wanna scare you, but I think you’re hurt bad where I can’t see, which means I can’t help you. You need to call Cas. I think he’s your only hope right now.”

“I though’ ya ‘ere th’ s’art one, Sa’y. Why don’ ya ask the El’s? ‘airies always ha’ ‘ag-ic…” Deans voice slurred, slowed and stuttered to a stop, the words barely intelligible, eyes closing.

Sam panicked and grabbed his brothers’ shoulders, “Dean! No, no, no! You gotta stay awake for me!” The sense of Dean’s words finally clicked for him and he turned to look at the Elves beside him frantically. “Magic! Do you – can you heal him? Does anyone know something that could help him?”

The Elves gathered around him looked at him sadly and shook their heads. One pointed over to Cutter and Leetah, “That’s our healer there.”

“Oh god!” Sam looked down at Dean in despair. “What am I going to do? Cas, where the hell are you? We need you! Dean needs you – he’s hurt bad!”

Sam heard the familiar flutter of wings and Cas appeared beside him. Sam’s relief was short-lived as he saw Cas stagger and his wings flared out for balance. The Elves around them all jolted backwards and away from the sudden winged stranger in their midst – as startled by his appearing suddenly, as by his appearance.

Wait.

Wings?

Never mind, he could geek over those later. “Cas! Thank god you’re here! Are you all right?”

“I’m…I’m fine, Sam.” Cas shook his head and stumbled towards them. “I have no idea how you managed to get yourselves here, but it was very difficult to follow. Without your brothers’ prayers, I surely would have been lost. I’m nearly drained.”

“Can you still heal Dean?” Sam asked quietly.

“I think so.” Castiel reached forward and placed his fingers on Dean’s forehead. He closed his eyes brows furrowing. He stood that way for a long moment, Sam anxiously looking from between the Angel and his brother. Reluctantly, shakily, Castiel pulled his hand away. He spoke in a tired, wavering voice, “There…I’ve done what I can. Dean will…recover…now…”

Sam looked up in relief, and his words of thanks died on his lips. For the second time that day, he reached out to catch someone in the act of falling.


	2. Sleeping Arrangements

The gathered Wolfriders watched the tall strangers currently among them, perplexed. The first two, the tallest, Sam and Dean, had looked human. Yet they were like no humans the Elves had ever met. They had not looked upon the Wolfriders in either fear or hatred, only curiosity and wariness. They had not recognized the Wolfriders, nor the name of Gotara, for whom many of the humans’ greatest atrocities seemed to be for.

They didn’t dress like any humans in living memory either – using not the skins of animals as the Wolfriders were accustomed to seeing.

It was Moonshade, of course, who had pointed that out, SENDING silently, *Look at their clothing – the style is much different than that of the Sun Folks yet even from here, I can tell it is of some unknown material, some fiber rather than leather or hide or fur. I wish I could take a closer look at it.* her fingers twitched and her mate, Strongbow, placed a hand on her shoulder.

Their course of action had been clear when the two humans had stumbled upon them, but then they’d also _acted_ like no other human ever had. Sam and Dean had saved one of their own, had tried to place themselves in harm’s way to protect the rest of them. Had, in fact, done so successfully.

And what was that magic they had used? Humans didn’t _have_ magic. Of any kind.

And if that wasn’t enough, the tallest one had yelled into the sky and a third had appeared from nowhere, black wings ruffling across his back.

*High Ones!* the words were echoed in SENDING after SENDING as each of them reacted. They watched as Sam gazed up at the feathered human in hope. They watched the feathered one touch Sam’s brother. They watched Sam catch the feathered one, horror and dismay etched on his face.

The Wolfriders shifted about, each of them wondering what would happen next and looking to their Chief for answers.

Their chief who was still pre-occupied with his mate, picking her up off the ground and carrying her back towards the rest of them, skirting the black smoke carefully with a wide circle. Cutter stopped next to Sam and looked down at the three of them with a weary but grateful face.

“Can you carry them?” Cutter asked.

Strongbow’s arm dropped from Moonshade and he surged forward. *NO! You can’t! They’re HUMANS.*  Strongbows face was curled up in a snarling mask of hatred.

*I am your Chief, Strongbow. And they saved my mate. They risked their lives for us against something truly evil. Tell me you did not _feel_ that?* Cutter glared back.

Strongbow faltered, but his face retained his stubborn glare. *Fine. Do as you will. But do not bring them into the caves. I will not tolerate _humans_ in my home.*

*You will not have to. They’ll be in _my_ home.* Cutter surprised them all with his words.

*Cutter – do you think that wise?* Nightfall asked hesitantly. She remembered the pain Redlance had suffered because of the humans, how she’d almost lost him even before the Holt had been burned down.

*I think it’s right.*  Cutter answered firmly, looking down at Leetah in his arms and then back to Sam.

Sam had opened his mouth to speak but he’d paused as he had seemed to notice the staring match between Cutter and Strongbow. Cutter wondered if Sam had realized they were speaking?

When Cutter met Sam’s eyes again, Sam answered his question. “I can, if it’s not too far, but not at the same time.”

Cutter nodded. “Then pick up your brother and follow me to where we can lay him and your friend to rest and recover.” He turned back and started walking, sending out a general call for volunteers. Treestump, Skywise and Redlance answered – Strongbow turned away, Moonshade with him -with their wolves following. Between them, using the backs of the wolves to support the bulk of the body and lifting what they could to alleviate the burden, they managed to get the feathered human off the ground.

They made a strange silhouette against the sky as they all followed Cutter through the path among the rocks and down into the village on the other side of the barrier. HE led them to the home he shared with the Healer, after he SENT to Clearbrook to take his children to the caves instead of returning them to their home.

He may owe these humans for their deeds, but he would get to know them first before trusting Ember or Suntop with them. Besides, as large as the three of them were, and as small as the huts were, it only made sense to clear them out. He was never more grateful than he was that night that as Healer, Leetah had a very spacious hut in comparison to the other Sun Folk, excepting the Mother of Memory, and had extra chambers and many silks and pillows that the humans could use to rest in.

Cutter internally shook his head as he walked. He lived in the strangest of times. Surely no Wolfrider Chief had ever had anything as strange as this happen to them?

_

Sam followed Cutter into the hut. He was obviously the leader but he wondered what the elf’s title actually was? Cutter pointed to the center of the room, which seemed to be an overly large sleeping area carved into the floor and stuffed to the brim with pillows and - well, not blankets, but some sort of fabrics. When Sam nodded his thanks, Cutter continued to carry Leetah through another doorway and disappeared. Gently, Sam lowered his brother into the sleeping pit, moving aside as something brushed against his ass.

He turned to find a wolf looking at him in annoyance before sneezing till Sam moved further out of the way and the odd procession that had carried Cas along moved inside. Sam quickly moved forward to help so that they wouldn’t have to awkwardly manhandle the Angel through the narrow doorway and into the room.

Cas was heavier than he looked and Sam hoped he wasn’t hurting the Angels wings as he staggered over the few steps it took to get to the pit again and lower Cas beside his brother.

He slumped to the ground, sitting on the edge of the pit himself, burying his long legs beneath the pillows till they touched floor and bowed his head. He had no idea how long Dean or Cas would be out.

Or if Cas would even be able to get them home.

That was a bothersome thought. Sam needed to change tracks before he panicked himself. He was way too wired _and_ worried to sleep. He needed a distraction.

Someone touched his elbow and Sam looked up in time to see the silver haired elf – one of the volunteers – disappear after Cutter. A different one, a blonde with a beard - the only elf Sam had seen so far that had facial hair, and another of the volunteers – handed him food and drink, accompanied by two youths, one of which might be related to him, if the curly blonde hair was any indication.

“Thank you. My name’s Sam.”

“I know. I’m Treestump. That’s my daughter, Dewshine, and her lovemate, Scouter.”

“You’re so tall,” Dewshine murmured.

Sam laughed, “Yeah, my brother hates me for it. He says it’s his duty as the oldest to be taller than me.”

Dewshine giggled, “Are all humans as tall as you?”

“No, actually. I’m particularly tall for a human.” Sam answered.

“But are you really human?” Treestump asked.

“I’m…sorry? I don’t understand?” Sam’s heart thudded. It was a question he’d asked himself countless times, ever since he’d discovered that he had been tainted with Demon blood.

“You and your brother are like no humans we’ve ever known. Humans hate us, fear us, kill us. They drove us from our home, the Holt. Burned it right down,” Scouter said sharply, shuddering at the memories.

“And you know magic. We know no humans who can command the elements.” Treestump added.

“You mean the smoke? That’s not – that’s not natural smoke. It’s a creature who can only live in the bodies it steals from others. A demon – “ There was a sharp indrawn breath from all three at his words. Dewshine squeaked and hid behind Scouter. Scouter looked like he wanted to do the same, but he wrapped her in his arms. “I’m sorry – what did I say?”

“Humans say that _we_ are Demons. They tell their children stories that say we steal their souls…” Treestump growled.

Sam shook his head, “Look, I don’t know the ways of this world, or the peoples of it. That smoke? Is from _our_ world. And it shouldn’t be here any more than Dean or I or even Cas should be. You are not Demons. Just different. But…sometimes people fear what is different.”

“But why?” Dewshine poked her head out to ask.

Sam shrugged. “I don’t know the answer to that. It’s just the way things are.”

They were all silent, Sam eating and drinking their offering as they thought about his words, or just stared at him, taking him all in. He finished his food and looked about the room that he was in. He saw one of the vases and had an idea.

“Can I take one of those vases?” he asked suddenly, Cutter appearing in the doorway just as he asked.

“Why would you want one?” Cutter asked, blinking at Sam.

“That smoke is dangerous. If the sand shifts, it will escape the trap and it can try to possess someone else. Anyone who doesn’t have this – “ Sam pulled his shirt open to show his tattoo – “is at risk of suffering the same as your mate. Unless I can make the trap more permanent to hold it until I can find a way to banish it from this World and send it back to its own Realm.”

“And you can use a water jug to do this?” Dewshine asked curiously.

“Yes, by drawing the same trap on the outside of the jug, it will hold the – the smoke,” Sam stopped himself from saying Demon again, as it had clearly been a sore point for the Elves.

“Then take it,” Cutter said firmly. “Anything you need to get rid of that evilness, I will give.”

“Thank you,” Sam answered gratefully. He stood up to grab the jug, making sure it was empty before turning it over and pulling a sharpie out of his pocket. He hoped the heat of the desert hadn’t dried it out. Uncapping it, he was relieved to see it still worked and quickly drew the Devils Trap out in practiced strokes.

When he was finished, he stood back up. “Could you show me the way back to where we left it trapped?” He didn’t think it was a good idea to go tripping about in the dark to start with, especially if even one of the people here had a beef with humanity – which it seemed likely they all did. Going about unescorted was probably just asking for trouble.

“I have the best eyes, I’ll take you,” Scouter leaped up eagerly. Dewshine protested. A look passed between them and she sniffed a little, giving Scouter a chaste kiss on his cheek before turning to sit with her father and stare at the ‘humans’ currently unconscious in the sleeping pit.

“Thank you, Scouter,” Sam grinned at the elf and followed him. The trip was mostly quiet, the only ones they passed were fellow Wolfriders though Sam had the impression that there was more to this village than he had yet seen. They approached the trapped Demon, finding another Wolfrider on alert, watching it.

The elf, an archer by the look of him, stepped out to block their way. He glared at Sam before turning his attention to Scouter. The night was quiet but Sam almost felt like he could ‘feel’ whatever conversation the two were having.

“Look, I know you don’t like humans and if what I’ve heard is true, I don’t blame any of you one bit,” Sam broke into the silence finally. “But I’m here to help. I’ve dealt with these things before. And the slightest bit of wind and that trap is going to fail and that thing will invade another of you. The damage it can do as it pretends to be one of your friends, or family members is incredible. Trust me…” Sam shuddered.

The archers eyes narrowed and his lip curled up in a snarl but he stepped aside. Scouter bounded forward and Sam quickly grabbed for his arm.

“Scouter, wait…it might be best – might be safest – if I do this alone,” Sam explained, quickly dropping his hand in case the elf took offense. “Remember, it can’t take me. I’m protected.”

“By the magic ink?” Scouter asked.

“Yes,” Sam answered, considering Scouters words. He supposed it was magic ink, sort of. It was the symbol and not the ink itself that held the magic though.

Scouter nodded and fell back. Sam hefted the jug and carefully crept up on the smoke. He shook his head at his own silliness. The Demon was trapped. It couldn’t exactly run away. He skirted the trap, careful not to smudge the lines and thanked his lucky stars he was tall and had long arms. He lifted the jug and with those extended arms, swiped at the smoke, watching it get sucked into the jug. He heaved a sigh of relief, and looked down inside to watch it swirl.

If smoke could show an emotion, this one was doing a fairly good job of showing how angry it was. Sam rejoined Scouter and the archer who both eyed the jug warily.

“So um, I’m all set. This is way safer than before. Unless someone breaks the jug, it’s trapped. And when we leave, we’ll take it with us.”

“And when will that be, _human_?” The archer bit out, his voice rough, Scouter looking at him in surprise.

“As soon as my friends are awake. Dean and I have no power, but Cas should be able to take us home.” Sam looked up and blinked, looking at the two bright moons Dean had tried to point out earlier. “Wherever home is.”

“How do you not know where your home is? Was it also destroyed?” Scouter asked curiously, falling into step beside Sam, nudging him in the right direction when needed. Grudgingly, the archer followed along behind, his eyes glued on Sam and the jug.

“Actually…it was. By beings like this one. Burned it down when I was just a baby. Lost my mother – I never even knew her. Since then, Dean and I, well, we never really had a home. Dad took us wandering, searching for the…the thing that killed our mom. We grew up that way but…we finally found a place, that we can call home. Dean’s the only blood I have left, but we’ve…we’ve _found_ a family. Cas is family.”

“Cas? The feathered human?”

“He’s not human, actually. He’s an Angel – which in our world is like, one of the highest of beings, one of the most powerful too. But he’s not like the other Angels. And he’s…family now.” Sam smiled.

A hand grabbed his arm, yanking Sam off balance and surprised, Sam turned around to face the surprisingly strong archer who had the most confused look on his face. “Why?”

“Why…? I don’t understand the question.” Sam looked between the two Elves in confusion, as if Scouter might clear things up. It was clear the archer didn’t like to talk and used as few words as possible.

“Strongbow has a…very strong dislike of humans. They – “ Scouter stopped talking, paling for a second and nodding at the archer. He paused, clearly rethinking his words. “I’m sorry, um…he just, he doesn’t understand how humans can be friendly with anything other than themselves. It’s never been done before.”

Sam looked directly at the archer, looked past his stubborn, confused and angry expression and thought he saw, thought he understood a little bit of what made him tick.  “You lost someone precious to you to humans, didn’t you?”

Strongbow stayed silent, his gaze narrowing and his chin jutting out more. Sam nodded. “It’s okay. I can…” he looked away and let out a breath, “I can understand that. Dean and I have lost a lot of people we loved too, and it…it’s hard to let that go. It’s changed who we are, how we think, the risks we’re willing to take.” Sam looked back again. “But we don’t want others to have to suffer the way we have, and it’s why we do what we do. It’s hard but…who else is going to rise to the challenge?”

Their eyes met and they stood there, silent, Scouter watching in a dazed awe. Finally, Strongbow’s gaze relented, peeled away and – with a grudging nod - he started walking again.

Scouter stared after him, dumbfounded, but said nothing of what had transpired to Sam. Instead, he led the way back to the Healers home where Sam’s brother and friend were still out cold. Treestump and Dewshine still held vigil, their wolves curled beside them. Sam gave a start – he’d forgotten, somehow, that the wolves were a constant presence with the Elves. He must be more tired than he thought. Scouter quickly darted to Dewshine’s side, the two of them cuddling down together.

“You should rest,” Treestump said quietly to Sam.

Sam nodded, staring at Dean and Cas who – if he was not mistaken – had gravitated towards each other slightly while he was gone. He looked for a place to put the jug safely and Treestump pointed toward a corner.

After getting a promise to make sure no one went near it, Sam sat back down on the edge of the pit and removed his shoes, realizing he probably should relieve Dean and Cas of theirs as well. But then the exhaustion caught up with him and he fell into the mound of pillows and curled up with a yawn, his eyes closing before he’d even settled in place.

Within minutes, perhaps even seconds, Sam was asleep.

 


	3. Lovers Token

Leetah came to the next morning, wrapped in the arms of both her life mate and his best friend. They turned into each other’s arms as she quietly extracted herself from the tangle of limbs, easing them back down to sleep with a touch.

It wasn’t that she didn’t _want_ their comfort, their love, but that she needed to come to some sort of terms over what had happened these past two days.

She entered the outer chamber to find it full. Treestump and his daughter, Scouter ever at Dewshines side, were asleep against each other and their wolves in the corner by the door. And in the sleeping pit where she often brought the villagers when they needed healing, quiet moments and soothing massages, were the two tall strangers the evil inside her had feared. They were curled up awkwardly with a third she didn’t recall seeing, all of them too big and doing their best to fit inside.

Leetah walked over to the pit and sat down, staring at the three of them. She was startled to see the shimmering black blanket shift she didn’t remember having and realized that it _wasn’t_ a blanket, but rather large bird wings.

She remembered seeing, as if through one of her many-colored veils, the two strangers – Sam and Dean, supplied her memory, the knowledge she’d inadvertently gathered from her guest – fighting against her but protecting her family. Remembered the rage of the one within her, the hate it had felt for everything around it, and she shuddered, hunching in on herself.

“Are you all right?” the unfamiliar – yet oddly, it _was_ familiar – voice asked quietly and she looked up into the tallest stranger’s eyes. Sam, she thought again.

“I’m not sure,” she said just as quietly. He angled himself to sit beside her, back against the short wall of the sleeping pit so that he was level with her, her bare feet dangling beside him, digging and burrowing into the pillows.

“I’ve been there,” Sam said, and she looked up in surprise. “What you’ve been through? It’s happened to me as well.  It was…” he turned to face straight ahead, but not before she caught the haunted look in his eyes, “…unpleasant, to say the least.”

Leetah nodded sadly, just taking it in, not answering his words. He let her be, having done what he set out to do, letting her know that she wasn’t alone, that there were others that understood if she needed to talk about it. They were quiet for several long moments. She followed his gaze to the others, still sleeping. Dean’s hand had reached out to the feathered man beside him, fingers gripping the tan fabric tightly as if he’d let go and the man would fly away.

Maybe he would. He had wings, after all.

Sam broke the silence with an apologetic smile, “I hate to ask, but the others said you were the healer here. My brother was hurt bad and he still hasn’t woken up. Cas there, he um…he can heal too, usually, but something’s wrong and when he tried, well…” Sam gestured at the two sleeping before them with a helpless little wave. “I think Cas managed to get Dean out of danger before he collapsed, but I don’t know if either of them are okay. You must be worn out after your ordeal and I don’t know how your powers work, so I wasn’t sure if I should ask or not, if you could check my brother.”

“What about…Cas?” That’s what Sam had called the feathered man, wasn’t it?

Sam flinched, “Um…it might not be safe to try, actually. And Cas would feel horrified if you got hurt trying to tend him. He’s…well, I’m sure you’ve noticed, he’s not quite human.” Sam bit his lip, pondering what exactly to say, afraid he’d scare the little elf woman off, but needing to emphasize how dangerous it could be. “That’s not his true form – although I’ve never actually _seen_ his wings before. That body was loaned to him so he could walk among us. Cas is…made of light,” Sam floundered for the right words, “and his light is really, really bright. The last person we knew who tried to see his true form with her magic sight, burned her eyes out. Cas tried to stop her but…we didn’t know, didn’t understand what he was at the time.”

Leetah nodded. “We should warn the Mother of Memory then. Savah is ancient and wise and her power is vast. She ‘goes out’ often, seeing places she’s never been to and people she’s never met. It sounds the kind of thing you are worried about, yes?”

“Astral projection…” Sam mused. “Yes, Leetah, you’re absolutely right. If your elder can do those things than she most definitely needs to be warned not to ‘look’ at him.”

“I will send someone in a moment. Now I will look to your brother,” she said, sliding down into the massive pile of pillows, moving easily to Dean’s side and closing her eyes, laying her fingers across his brow.

Sam watched in wonder as her fingers seemed to emit a faint glow. It was obvious her method of healing was different from Castiel’s. Within moments, Dean woke, blinking groggily up at the healer as she pulled her fingers away and stepped back with a small smile.

“Now that you are both awake, I’d like to thank you for what you’ve done for me, for my family and my village.” Leetah shivered, wrapping her arms about herself. Pale, strong arms wrapped around hers, sliding on top as a chin hooked into her shoulder.

“Yes, my thanks as well. We had no idea what was wrong with my lifemate, only that there was,” Cutter said, gratitude dripping off every word. “You will find that many here are grateful for what you have done. Leetah is much beloved here.”

Sam nodded in acknowledgement and Cutter gently tugged at Leetah, asking her quietly for a private moment. She acquiesced, leaving Dean and Sam alone in a room otherwise filled with sleepers.

Dean sat up, rubbing at his eyes and yawning. “God, what happened? I feel like I got bowled over by a Wendigo.” He turned, his eyes falling on the still unconscious form of Cas, feathers spread wide. “Whoa! What happened to Cas?” Dean turned to stare at Sam with panicked yes.

“I don’t know. He arrived, looking rather run down, then he tried to heal you and…he’s been like that ever since.” Sam yawned, “Dean, if this world is anything like that one time Balthazar sent us through to that freaky dimension, Cas might not have his powers. He said he was drained just getting here and now…it obviously took a lot out of him to try and help you. Maybe too much. What if he dies and we’re stuck here?”

Dean whirled on his brother, the look of disbelief on his face plain to see. “What if we’re _stuck_ here?” he nearly growled, “Is that all Cas is to you? A ride home? You realize, if he dies, we could lose him forever. If we’re in another dimension, God might not be aware that we’re here, that _he’s_ here. How we gonna get Cas back then? He’ll be gone for good!” Dean’s growl turned shrill with every rising word from his mouth.

“Of course not, Dean. I’m just saying – “ Sam tried to explain calmly.

Dean turned his back on his brother and hunched over next to Cas, watching him. The angel was face down, head turned towards Dean, and if his brow hadn’t been furrowed, Dean would be unsure if he was still alive or not. Angels not really needing to breathe.

The wings were new. If there was ever anything that shoved Cas’s otherness into his face, that had to be one of the most blatant. And God, they were beautiful. Dean’s fingers itched to reach out but he held back.

There was murmuring behind him, Sam’s voice the loudest of all of them but still quiet in deference to their hosts.

“Dean, I’m going to get breakfast,” Sam finally broke in. “Are you coming or - ?”

“No. Not hungry Sam.” Dean didn’t bother taking his eyes off Cas.

“You’re never not hungry, Dean. Are you sure - ?”

“Yeah, just go. I’m not going anywhere.” Dean said quietly. _As long as Cas isn’t going anywhere_.

There was a quiet shuffle, a few rustles and a light tinkle of jewelry, the soft tap tap tap of wolf claws and then silence. Dean continued to stare at Cas. “C’mon, buddy, wake up. You gotta be okay.” Dean sighed and ran a hand down his face, startling when a hand fell on his shoulder with a light metallic jingle.

“Jesus!” he nearly shouted, staring up at the dark-skinned elf from the day before – was it the day before? Yes, it had to be. Natural morning light was streaming into the room.

“I didn’t mean to scare you.” She smiled apologetically.

“Uh, not scared,” Dean scoffed, rolling his eyes. She smiled and nodded, letting him have the lie.   
“Leetah, right?”

“Yes.” Leetah sat beside him, causing Dean to look down at her. “You and your lifemate have a strong bond, don’t you?”

“Wait – what? Lifemate?” Dean jerked back. “I…what are you…?”

Leetah’s eyes stared at him in surprise, looking between him and Cas. Dean felt something uncomfortable squirm in his gut. He swallowed. Her eyes seemed to see right through him. He looked away, unable to meet her gaze and his eyes fell upon Cas again. The uncomfortable feeling twisted back into worry as he stared at his best friend. _More than that, but how could she know? I’ve never admitted it to anyone, not even to Cas. I’ve barely admitted it to myself._

“Do humans not have lifemates? I am unfamiliar with humans. I see your worry and it is like the worry I have for my own lifemate, for Cutter, though I know him to be strong and swift. As chief, he is burdened with many things, as you seem to be.” Leetahs gentle, nonjudgmental voice soothed Dean.

 Dean shrugged, unsure quite how to answer her. He continued to look at Cas, hardly daring to breath. “Cas is…he’s special to me,” he finally admitted. “But I don’t think I…I don’t think I mean the same to him.”

The shape in front of him stirred, the wings first, arching slightly before falling back down in a slow wave, fingers twitched and eyelids fluttered. Dean straightened up and leaned forward. “Cas?”

“Dean?” Cas groaned and struggled to sit up, the wings hampering him. Dean quickly stood and helped him, an arm around his shoulders, another on his arm, carefully avoiding the wings, as much as they drew his attention.

“Cas, you okay?” Dean guided him to the edge of the pit and the both sat on it, feet still buried in cushions. Leetah watched quietly, not wanting to intrude.

“I think so,” Cas squinted his eyes and looked around. “It may be some time before I’m up to an attempt to bring us home, however.”

“No, that doesn’t matter – as long as you’re okay,” Dean assured him. Cas looked at Dean and he smiled one of those crooked, barely there quirks that Dean had long since fallen in love with. Dean cleared his throat, unsure what to say next. Then his eyes fell on Cas’s wings and they lit up with inspiration. “So um, crazy about the wings huh? It’s really neat to be able to actually see them for once.”

Cas craned his head around, a wing jutting forward over his shoulder, then spreading out and wrapping around so he could see more easily. “Hmm…my wings have never manifested physically before. I didn’t even know it was possible. After all, as you know, I needed to borrow a vessel just to be seen and Jimmy didn’t exactly have his own wings.”

“They don’t exactly come with the model,” Dean joked. Cas stared. “Anyway, they’re um, they’re really neat. Can I touch ‘em?”

Cas looked away from his wings at the question and looked at Dean. Then he shrugged and the wing closest to Dean reached out, spreading across the miniscule space between them. Dean reached out tentatively and slid his fingers gently over the top side of the feathers, eventually brave enough to hold one between his fingers and slide more firmly down the length of it.

“They’re so soft…” he whispered in awe.

They sat like that, Leetah forgotten as Dean and Cas both examined his wings, flexing the muscles and watching the new appendages respond, discovering the hidden colors within the black – shines of blue and green and an odd almost-gold. They missed her knowing smile as they eventually devolved into staring at each other with faint blushes and intense eyes.

Her sharp ears heard the soft sounds of Elves and Wolves returning, the slightly louder ones of the tall human, Sam. He was incredibly light on his feet for such a tall and heavy looking being..

Leetah turned to greet them as they entered, Dean and Cas apparently oblivious still to their return, lost in each other as they were. For someone who denied being lifemates – she wondered if Cas would deny it too - Dean and Cas were obviously something more than just friends.

Sam broke the moment as soon as he saw them. “You’re awake, Cas! That’s great! How’re you feeling?” He strode over even as his brother jumped back guiltily, dropping the Angels’ wing. Cas stared at Dean mournfully for a second, his wings shifting to sit behind him, before turning to Sam.

“I am well, though still drained,” he said. “It is good to see both of you safe, though I’m still perplexed as to how you got here?”

Sam dropped to sit beside Dean and shook his hair out of his face. “Yeah, so are we. One minute we were in the bunker, the next we were in the desert.”

“The bunker is filled with things the Men of Letters collected. Some of it very dangerous and almost none of it catalogued as it should have been. Did you not once find the key to another world there? Maybe you touched something you shouldn’t have?” Cas suggested.

“Oh yeah, the key to Oz. I guess it’s possible, but I don’t remember anything that looked like it could have been a key,” Sam pondered.

Dean blinked and reached into his pocket, pulling out a small gold sun made of metal and about the size of his palm. He idly flipped it over in his hand and considered it. “What about this?”

Sam looked at the item he held and shrugged. “If it’s a key, I don’t know how to tell, _or_ how to use it. You found that in the bunker?”

“Yeah, it was just sitting in some junk box. Thought it was harmless. I was gonna polish it up and um…well, it doesn’t matter now.” Dean blushed and he studiously avoided looking at Cas.

The angel reached out for the metal sun and Dean gave it up. Cas turned it over in his hands, then held it up to the light and squinted at it. “I think you’re right, Dean. I’m not entirely sure how it was activated though.”

Sam nudged Dean, “So what were you planning on doing with it?”

Dean’s face turned bright red and his face turned mulish. He once again pointedly looked away from Cas, even as his eyes darted helplessly toward him. “Nothing, Sam. Leave it.” He stood up and left, startling Cas in his abruptness. Sam just sighed.

“Did I do something to make Dean mad at me again?” Cas asked.

“No, I think that was me, this time, though I’m not sure…” Sam paused, a thought occurring to him and he started laughing. “Oh my god! Dean’s such a sap!”

Sam’s sudden explosion of loud laughter made most of the Elves jump back in surprise, all staring at him. Leetah slipped out after Dean, but Cutter and Skywise had remained, the wolves had disappeared elsewhere.

“Sam? Sam, I don’t understand – what’s so funny?” Cas asked.

“Sunshine…” Sam chortled and snickered, doubling over and falling to the pillows, Cas looking on in confusion, the little sun still held in his hands. “Dean called you…he called you _sunshine_ , remember?”

“I remember. I thought he was being sarcastic, as usual,” Cas replied. “He once called my huggy bear.”

“True, but…I think sunshine actually meant something to him and now that I see _this_ ,” Sam slowly sat up, the laughter dying off and he wiped at his eyes with a sigh. “He was going to give that to someone – and I think it was you.”

“A lover’s token?” Skywise popped up between them, Cutter right behind. “It would make a fine necklace if one were to place it on a leather cord.”

“Lover’s token?” Cas repeated slowly with a tilt of his head. “Why would Dean…” he trailed off, his blue eyes widening in realization and he looked back down at the metal sun in his hand. “Oh,” he said softly. Cas’s other hand reached up to trace gently along the edges of the sun.

“Are either of you going to make a move finally, or am I doomed to suffer through decades more of pathetic longing and heart eyes?” Sam asked finally. “I mean, the staring alone…and you two fight like a married couple, I swear to God.”

“I…why would I…Dean wouldn’t…Dean doesn’t want…” Cas floundered and Sam shook his head, hands reaching out to grip the angels shoulders, Cas looking up to meet his eyes with his own sad ones.

“Yes, he does. I think he’s scared, Cas. Everyone he loves dies. Even us – we’ve both died Cas. He’s afraid to let anyone close anymore and…he’s scared that you don’t feel the same way he does. Angels aren’t supposed to love humans, remember? Aren’t supposed to feel emotions?”

“I’ve always been…different, broken…”

“Not broken, Cas. If you were broken, how could you have saved the world so many times? Saved _us_ so many times? You’ve done what God commanded – what the other angels refused to do. If you were broken, why would God bring you back when he’s never done that for any other Angel?” Sam’s voice was earnest and Cas stared at him, letting the words soak in.

Cutter and Skywise backed away, still easily within earshot, and tried to parse what they’d heard.

“You think that Dean loves me, as I love him?” Cas’s voice was low and uncertain.

“Yeah, Cas, I do. And I think that if you don’t say something first, neither of you will ever say anything and you’ll both be pining for the other for the rest of my natural existence and I don’t think I can take that anymore,” Sam huffed out in exasperation.

Cas nodded, paused, then nodded again, his fingers closing around the sun in his hand and suddenly wondering if he had something to hang it off of. A small hand reached for the sleeve of his coat and tugged and he looked down at the two Elves that had returned to his side. The blonde with the top knot grinned and held up a pale, yellow leather cord. He’d obviously unthreaded it from the side of his pants, as one leg was now gaping open.

“Thank you,” Cas said solemnly, taking the cord and opening his hands again to look at the metal piece therein. There _was_ a hole already placed near one edge, as if maybe it had _been_ a necklace once upon a time. How fitting, then, that it would be so again. Cas quickly threaded the cord through the hole and knotted the other end tightly before slipping it over his head.

He turned, his wings flaring slightly with the movement before setting back down against his coat. “I’m going to find Dean.”

“Yeah, you go ahead,” Sam motioned him off. He sighed as soon as Cas let the hut. He threw his head back and tossed his hands in the air, “Finally! They were driving me crazy.”

Cutter and Skywise exchanged a look, a small smirk playing about Skywises’ mouth. “I have no idea what that’s like,” the silver haired elf quipped with a smug look at Cutter.

Cutter rolled his eyes but huffed out a laugh. “Leetah accepted her love for me and mine for her eventually.” Cutter turned back to Sam, dropping to the edge of the pit, Skywise tumbling down after him with a laugh. “Do humans have Recognition?”

“I don’t know. What is it?” Sam slowly sat down as well, feeling guilty every time he stood up and towered over the shorter Elves.

“Soul meets Soul when Eyes meet Eyes, Stands your True Love, Recognized,” the two uttered in complete unison, the sing-song rhythm feeling almost like a Nursery Rhyme to Sam.

Sam snorted. “Of course. Well, Dean and Cas have always had a ‘more profound bond’, as Cas put it. And they certainly um…gaze into each other’s eyes…a lot. And whatever the two of them have, they’ve broken through to each other when others couldn’t. There’s something special there. Maybe not your Recognition, but…humans do believe in soul mates – at least in my world we do. Just that they’re rare, very rare. To find a soul mate is to treasure them.”

“Then your brother and your friend are truly lucky,” Cutter said softly, nudging at Skywise with a sly smile. “I’m going to go find my own mate now, and reassure myself again that she is all right.”

Cutter stood and Skywise looked up at him with an expression that caught Sam by surprise. Then the two of them froze, Cutter shaking his head ruefully, “Never mind. It seems the Mother of Memory would like to meet you. Let us go find Dean and Cas. Maybe my Leetah will be with them.”


	4. The Mothers Memory

When the Sun Folk woke that morning, they had no idea how much had happened during the night. That things happened at night was commonplace to them now, now that they had welcomed the mostly nocturnal Wolfriders into their homes.

So that things happened at night, while they lay sleeping securely in their own homes was nothing new.

They still didn’t expect the five fingered, round eared, tall _human_ creature to wander out into their midst.

He didn’t wander out alone. He was accompanied by Cutter, Skywise, by Treestump and Dewshine, and her ever attentive lover. By that fact alone, the Sun Folk managed to keep from panicking. But the hushed voices, the wild curiosity, was uncurbed as they stared openly at the human.

They’d heard of humans - from both long ago legends and from the more recent memories of the Wolfriders – and nothing had ever painted the humans in a good light. And yet, here was one, walking around with a curious expression on his own face, a gentle look in his eyes and the Wolfriders – who had more cause than any to fear and hate humans – walked beside him as if without a care.

It was certainly cause for talk.

It didn’t take long for the Sun Folk to grow brave enough to swarm the tall stranger who introduced himself as Sam and was more than willing to answer any questions put to him. They served him breakfast and were all too happy to note that, unlike the Wolfriders, he had no prejudice towards many of the main staples of the Sun Folks diet. Meat was a rarity to them, only made more common now that Cutter and his tribe often went hunting to fill their own bellies with things that were more familiar to them.

Eventually, though, the stranger had left to return to the Healers hut and the Sun Folk were left to talk amongst themselves. They had no ability to SEND the way that Cutters tribe did. Alone in the desert, they had no need for silent speech and the ability had died off with disuse, only rare individuals still learning to use the skill.

It was of no surprise to them that the Mother of Memory called for the strangers to appear before her. The only _real_ surprise was that she was suddenly feeling better. Savah lived in the largest hut of the village at Sorrows End, accorded the respect of her age and wisdom and power.

So as she waited patiently for her summons to be answered, the Sun Folk took it upon themselves to fill the audience chamber, Wolfriders slipping in quietly and unnoticed till one spoke a word, or a fur covered body brushed against a bare leg.

The dark-skinned people of Sorrow’s End murmured in surprise when they realized that one strange human was actually three – and maybe not human? Or did some humans have wings? They looked at each other in confusion. None of the tales had ever hinted at such.

Upon their entry, Savah stood, stately and tall, towering above all except the strangers, her height of a match with theirs. It was an odd thing to them all to see anyone as tall as Savah, and beside them, in contrast, she stood ethereal, like a strong wind could blow her away. No one would mistake these humans for High Ones, that was certain. They had not the grace or stateliness of Savah and the rest of those fleeting ancients of legend.

“Welcome, strangers, to Sorrow’s End. I’m Savah, Mother of Memory, as you might already know,” she smiled at them, a twinkle in her eyes. “I see you are lost, here, from beyond this world. Know that you can gather your strength, rest in peaceful tranquility as long as is necessary for you. This place is a sanctuary. So it was founded in my youth, and so it was proven yet again only recently,” she said, looking down on Cutter fondly and raising a hand to the top of his head.

“Uh, it’s an honor to meet you, Mother of Memory,” Sam inclined his head slightly, not sure if he should call her by name or by her obvious title.

She smiled, “There’s no need for ceremony here.” She stopped before them, looking the three of them in eyes, one by one. It had been long since she’d been able to stand and do such.

Dean and Sam both tensed as the tallest elf paused when she reached Castiel, her hand reaching toward him, but not touching. “You…are of vast age, older by far then myself,” she said, wonder and surprise colored her voice.

Around them, the elves murmured. They couldn’t imagine _anyone_ being older than Savah.

“I am. I must advise you to _not_ look upon my true form as I have been told you might be capable of trying. It can be…damaging for mortals to view.” Cas’s low rumble carried clearly, causing more murmurs.

“But I already have, and you are beautiful. The colors that shine from you nearly eclipse all I’ve ever seen.” She paused again, another twinkle in her eye as she teased, “Nearly.”

“Mother, what does it mean? Why are they here?” one of the Sun Folk asked, calling her attention.

She looked away at the one who spoke and then back to the trio before her, reaching out again for Cas, this time touching the newly made necklace he wore. She gently pulled it away from his chest to gaze at it closer. “This I have seen before, but not since my youth. It has aged only slightly since then. It’s near - twin sits upon the Bridge of Destiny – “ she let it fall against his shirt and turned to look at Cutter again, “- as some among us would have much reason to remember.”

“The Bridge of Destiny?” Dean asked, “That sounds kind of ominous.”

“I suppose, depending on your point of view, it might well be,” she agreed.

“Where is the Bridge of Destiny?” Cas asked bluntly.

Dean rolled his eyes and Sam nudged him, whispering so as not to be heard, “Manners, Cas…”

The Elves tittered, all having heard the words quite clearly. Savah moved slowly past them, everyone turning in her orbit to keep her in sight as she strode toward the entrance. Looking slightly over her shoulder back at them all, she spoke again, “I’ll show you.”

She stepped outside into the sun, closing her eyes and taking a moment to feel it caressing her skin. Savah opened her eyes again as she felt the presence of the three strangers join her. She lifted a hand elegantly and pointed into the distance. “There is the Bridge of Destiny. It is not far from here, but it is high up. Suntoucher goes out each morning to greet the sun from that very spot.”

The sound wings flapping and a slight breeze was the only warning any of them got before Cas disappeared. Sam and Dean didn’t react because they were used to it, but around them, many of the elves gasped or jerked back in surprise.

Savah looked to the empty space beside her and raised an eyebrow. “He is rather impatient, isn’t he?”

Dean shrugged. “It’s Cas,” was all he said by way of explanation. Sam nodded in agreement, as if to them, it _was_ enough of one, but the elves just looked about in confusion.

“Where did he go?” Skywise finally ventured.

“You ask me? I think he went to the Bridge of Destiny your Mother of Memory mentioned,” Dean answered, looking up and shading his eyes, hoping he could spot Cas. But it was really too high up for him to see anything. It didn’t stop him from looking, his hand dropping only when he heard the Angel return to his side, causing another ripple through the gathered elves at his sudden reappearance.

“Did you find what you seek?” Savah asked him.

“The suns were made from the same material. It is clear they both originated here, from this world. How it came to be on our world is a greater mystery,” Cas answered her.

“Mmmmm…a great mystery indeed,” she agreed. “What will the three of you do now?”

Dean and Sam looked at each other and back to Cas, almost unwilling to speak. “Well, we need to…figure out how to get home somehow.”

“That is possible now,” Cas said quietly. “Anytime you are ready.”

“Wait, how?” Sam asked incredulously.

“No way, man, you were _gone_ this morning. There’s no way you’re suddenly okay. I’m not having you collapse on me again,” Dean bit out, a mixture of worry and suspicion clear in his voice, his body language.

“You’re right, Dean. But,” Cas lifted the necklace, “these sun discs are reservoirs. They literally gather power from the sun. When you were brought here, you likely drained this one of what little power it had left after sitting in the bunker for so long. But the one on the bridge has been soaking in the Sun for centuries, the power unclaimed.”

“Wait, wait, wait,” Dean rubbed at his forehead for a second before dropping his hand to look Cas in the eye. “You sayin’ it’s a solar powered _magic spell?”_

“I suppose I am.” Cas inclined his head in agreement.

“So, this thing is a – a – a freakin’ _battery_?” Dean’s voice rose in disbelief.

Sam clapped him on the shoulder with a laugh, “Dude, does it really matter if it means Cas can get us home safely – both us _and_ him?”

“Huh, I guess not,” Dean acknowledged. His face tipped into a wide grin. “Hey, all we need now are some red ruby slippers so Cas can tap his heels together and chant ‘There’s no place like home’.”

Sam shook his head with a soft chuckle, Cas tilted his head in confusion and the Elves just stared, completely lost except for one point –

“You’re going home?” Dewshine asked softly, tugging at Sam’s sleeve.

“It looks like it,” Sam said as he looked down at her.

Strongbow snorted and though the brothers couldn’t hear his words, his message was clear – _Good riddance._ The rest of the elves had mixed reactions. Some had heard of the events of the night prior and some had not. Those that had were reluctant to let the people who’d saved their Leetah go so quickly. Savah retreated back to her dwelling with a smile on her lips.

She knew they’d stay at least long enough for the celebration the village was now planning. She also knew that Cutter was determined to corner Sam and ask him about the protections against smoke demons – just in case there were others that had somehow escaped to their world.

She also knew that Cas and Dean would sneak off at some point to be alone, to explore their newly confessed feelings while they had a peaceful moment, something she sensed was all too lacking in their world.

And in the years to come, even if the memories of others faded, Savah would keep them, and tell the stories of the three who had come into their midst – not with destruction and hate, but with curiosity and love. She would use the stories to remind them all that not everything or everyone was as first appears.

There were exceptions to every rule, every stereotype – both good and bad. Humans were not the pure evil as elves believed, and Elves were not the holders of all that was good in the world. There were experiences to come that she could only glimpse briefly, some sending a shiver down her spine.

But the elves were strong. She was sure they’d weather it as they’d weathered everything else this world had thrown at them.


End file.
